Salem Announces Historic Preservation Work Ahead of 400th Anniversary
As Salem prepares to celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2026, the city is launching multiple preservation projects focused on historic sites and neighborhoods. A significant project involves documenting and preserving…
Photo: City of Salem
As Salem prepares to celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2026, the city is launching multiple preservation projects focused on historic sites and neighborhoods.
A significant project involves documenting and preserving Fort Lee, a Revolutionary War-era earthwork fort from 1776, which faces threats from erosion, overgrowth, and low public awareness. The city is using advanced technology such as 3D modeling, aerial photography, and community support to develop preservation and accessibility plans for Fort Lee.
Restoration work has also begun at Broad Street Cemetery. Efforts are underway to disassemble, clean, and reconstruct a deteriorated brick-and-marble historic tomb marker that was in danger of collapse.
Recent preservation efforts have also included a detailed historic survey of the Mack Park Neighborhood. The work involves documenting more than 100 properties to capture architectural styles and community history.
Funding for the Fort Lee Preservation Plan and the Mack Park Historic Neighborhood Survey is provided by grants from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The funding is made possible through the Survey and Planning Grant Program administered by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin, and the City of Salem.
“The City of Salem of today is built upon a long and important history,” said Mayor Dominick Pangallo in a statement shared in a City of Salem news release. “As we prepare to commemorate our quadricentennial anniversary in 2026, it is important to reflect on that history and the legacies that it imparts to us, and to continue striving to learn from our past. I am grateful to City staff, local organizations, and community partners who are so dedicated to preservation efforts.”
To learn more about these projects and other preservation efforts in Salem, contact Patti Kelleher, preservation planner in the city's Department of Planning and Community Development, at 978-619-5685 or by email. Visit the city's preservation website for additional information.
